Need for Speed won’t be producing a release this year, EA said in its post-earnings release conference call today, with Ghost Games general manager Marcus Nilsson posting an open letter to discuss the matter.

The third of EA Sports’ first quarter releases is the only one to overlap with an existing franchise, but even in a market dominated by the FIFA juggernaut, there’s room for FIFA Street’s more personal approach.

The second of EA Sports’ major titles dropping in a crowded first quarter has a ready-made fan base, but the challenge of progressing your rider and an engaging multiplayer suite mean there’s more to SSX than 90’s extreme sports fever.

The major sports games usually turn up later in the year, but EA Sports has a collection of big-budget titles hitting this quarter. The first off the bat – or racquet – is Grand Slam Tennis 2, a fantasy match-up of the best in the biz.

EA has posted increased revenue for Q2 ’12 thanks to a surge in its digital and sports offerings, and CEO John Riccitiello noted that Battlefield 3 has shipped over 10 million units since its US launch.